Marianne James

French singer (born 1962)

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2026-01-30Peak: 322026-02-28

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Key Takeaways

Marianne James (born 18 February 1962) is a French singer, writer, actress, TV host and fashion designer.
Early life Born in Montélimar, Marianne Gandolfi grew up in the family shop, Place du Marché, with her father Maurice, chocolatier pastry chef and nougatier, her mother Jacqueline, from whom she gets her Italian origins, and her sister Pascale, four years older than her.
From the age of 15 to 23, she took advantage of her holidays to sing in the streets with her sister and a friend.
In 1981, Marianne James joined the band "Les Démones Loulou" with whom she opened for William Sheller at the Olympia.
Theater Album 1999 : Les Mandarines 2006 : Marianne James 2015 : Les Symphonies Subaquatiques 2016 : Tous au lit !

Marianne James (born 18 February 1962) is a French singer, writer, actress, TV host and fashion designer. She has co-presented the French coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Early life

Born in Montélimar, Marianne Gandolfi grew up in the family shop, Place du Marché, with her father Maurice, chocolatier pastry chef and nougatier, her mother Jacqueline, from whom she gets her Italian origins, and her sister Pascale, four years older than her.

She took guitar lessons at the age of 11 with Antoine Petrucciani, known as "Tony", a renowned jazz guitarist and father of pianist Michel Petrucciani. From the age of 15 to 23, she took advantage of her holidays to sing in the streets with her sister and a friend.

In 1980, after creating her first group "The Swingums", she graduated with a degree in musicology from Sorbonne University and won a first prize for singing at the Conservatoire de Paris.

In 1981, Marianne James joined the band "Les Démones Loulou" with whom she opened for William Sheller at the Olympia. She continued to sing in the streets of Paris.